TideClan's Story
by EverythingBurnz
Summary: Set in a small, barely settled island in the Pacific Ocean that serves as a fueling station for twoleg ships, TideClan makes it's home. For many moons, the Clan has lived in peace. But now, a new threat is rising from within their own ranks...
1. Prolouge

Brisk winds blew across the white-capped waves of the sea, carrying the unmistakable tang of salt with them. The waves lapped at the sand sluggishly, despite the fact that the wind was quickly picking up speed. A long stretch of beach shone a whitish-silver color under the light of the half moon; a crab scuttled hurriedly along the sand, disappearing into a small hole further up the shore. A row of palm trees stood poised at the edge of the sand, back by other varieties: lychees, their bumpy red fruits shining in the moonlight, and taller, more intimidating needle-clad trees seemed to sprout shadows from their trunks. Fern plants and ginger bushes grew wild, thick, and tall, forming a slight barrier between the beach and the towering forest.

For a moment, it looked as if a shadow had detached itself from the underbrush, sliding stealthily out onto the sand, until its form could be better recognized. It was a tom cat, dark silver with bold black spots and stripes dominating its pelt. Small and lithe, the cat crept out from under the tree cover, glancing nervously over his shoulder. Finally, upon making it out onto the beach, the cat relaxed visibly, tail no longer stiff, eyes shining with excitement. Giving a little skip and a mew of happiness, the cat made its way towards the waves, letting his paws wander into the edges of the waves. The silver and black cat made its way down the beach now, towards a group of rugged gray-black rocks, where the waves crashed loudly against their sides, spilling up and over the edges in some places. The cat jumped up to examine the rocks, peering down into one of the newly formed pools nestled into a naturally formed indentation in the rock. A small fish, made prisoner in the pool by the strong waves, swam around in panic in the unknown waters. A dainty silver paw reached out, deftly hooking under underside of the fish, and flung the creature away, back into the vast ocean with a slight smile. Then, the cat turned and jumped back down into the sand; as soon as his paws hit the ground, a huge yawn split the silver and black jaws. The cat took a few steps further up the beach, to get some distance from the waves, and then settled down in the sand, drawing his long tail around his body. Slowly, green-eyes eyes closed to barely open slits, gaze directed up at the stars. Then, the lids fell entirely, the cat's flanks gently swelling with relaxed breaths as he drifted off into sleep.

But sleep would not last.

Heartbeats later, a loud sound broke the quiet, like the sound of thunder, followed by the roar of a flaming lion. The cat jumped to its paws, no longer drifting in the half awake state of barely entered dreams. A flash of light lit the sky, overpowering the soft glow of the moon, and the noise increased. The cat craned its neck, looking around wildly. Suddenly, the source of the light and sound appeared overhead: a glowing orb, surrounded by white hot fire, trailing a long, sparking tail. With a gasp, the cat tore his gaze away for a heartbeat; the white hue of the flames surrounding the orb was the exact same as the stars watching the scene unfold in the inky black sky.

A falling star. A warrior of Starclan, hurtling out of the sky.

With a cry of anguish, the cat threw itself to his paws, kicking up sand as he ran, eyes glued to the falling star as it hurtled toward the ocean. The star seemed to hiss as it fell, overpowering the crackling of the flames. It almost sounded like the hissing of angry cats. Bits of the star seemed to break off as it neared the ocean, and one of them struck the cat, burning fur and skin. Finally, the star reached the sea, impacting with the cool blue water. The hissing intensified as the ocean water bubbled madly, screeching as if in pain. A spout of water erupted from all around the impact zone. The cat flinched away, expecting to be soaked to the bone. However, time seemed to slow. The cat, as if suspended in sticky, slow sap, turned his gaze back to the water. Waves reared up high, cresting over into white foam at the top. The hissing turned to whispering, definitely feline, and the cat felt pelts brush against his own, warm but fleeting. The whispers grew louder, evolving into harsh, guttural growls. Many voices came together: the young squeak of a new-born kit, the cracking voice of an elder, the deep grunts of a fully grown warrior, and the shrieks of a kitting queen. Together, the voices assaulted the cat's ears, his legs crumpling beneath him.

"Beware, Shadespot. Pure blood mixed with filth, unbeknownst by all. Secrets that murder, revenge that kills. Chaos will erupt like the magma of the volcano, burning all in its path unless those born of treason can overcome the wrath of the Stars."

As the last word was uttered, the massively building waves finally crashed onto the shore, seeming to bring time back to normal. The water rushed up and over the silver and black tabby, who howled in pain as the salt water burned the wound left by the burning star piece and flooded his mouth, nose, and ears. Flailing his legs, the cat managed to fight his way back to dry ground as the waves receded. The cat, Shadespot, was shaking uncontrollably, his green-yellow eyes fixed on the spot where the star hit the water, almost as if he expected it to reappear, or for the terrible voices to come back.

Without a doubt, this terrifying experience was a sign from StarClan. But Shadespot had never experienced anything like it. Fear gripped his heart like icy, needle sharp claws. Normally visions and warnings from his heavenly ancestors were mysterious and vague at the most. This one...seemed hateful.

"Shadespot!" The silver and black tabby's thoughts were interrupted at the sound of his name being called. Still trembling, he turned and watched as a huge white tom burst from the undergrowth, sand flying from underneath his paws as he skidded to a stop at the edge of the tree line.

"Saltclaw," Shadespot meowed in surprise, padding unsteadily towards the tom, "did you see-"

"Turtlefur is kitting!" the other cat hissed angrily, moving to the tabby's side. Saltclaw roughly pushed Shadespot, his eyes wide, angry, but most of all, scared. "Run, Medicine Cat. Run as if all of StarClan were chasing you." Another push, and Shadespot was off with a yelp, surprised at being roughed up again, and with Saltclaw's choice of words. Yet, he ran, paws drumming and skimming lightly over the forest floor. Saltclaw was at his shoulder, breath coming roughly through his parted muzzle, teeth bared.

Soon, the two reached camp. Cats were out in the open, milling about in the center of camp. They should have all been asleep. However, a wail rent the silence; it came from a stump, hollowed out to serve as a den for the Clan's queens. Shadespot hurried towards the den, Saltclaw right on his heels. Moonlight filtered in between gaps in the layer of ferns that served as a roof to the den, casting an eerie glow on everything it touched. A pretty calico she-cat lay near the back of the den. A tabby she-cat trembled off to the side of the wailing calico, her tail wrapped protectively around herself, belly bulging out widely as if she needed to protect her unborn kits from the noise.

"Oh, Shadespot! Help her!" the tabby queen begged. Eyes narrowed in concentration, the silver and black tabby tom bent down next to the kitting queen, placing a paw lightly over her stomach. It convulsed under his paw and Turtlefur let out another cry of pain.

"Saltclaw!" the medicine cat said, not taking his eyes off his patient, "go to my den and fetch some chamomile; green stemmed, with white and yellow flowers." Without a word, the big white tom whipped out of the den.

"Sh-Shadespot," the calico queen gasped. Concern darkened the medicine cat's eyes.

"No, Turtlefur," he mewed, "brushing his tail gently over the she-cat's muzzle, "save your strength. Your kits are coming, and I need you to help me as much as you can. When I tell you to push, push like you never have before, okay?" The she-cat looked like she wanted to say something, but she merely blinked in acknowledgement, gritting her teeth as another convulsion hit her. "Alright...ready Turtlefur?" The medicine counted down, and urged the queen to push. A kit slithered into the moss, its dark fur wet, mouth parted to reveal a bright pink tongue. Shadespot picked up the kit and placed it down next to the tabby queen. "Lick its fur, Palmfur," he ordered quickly, before returning to the kitting she-cat's side. He placed his paw over Turtlefur's stomach once more. "Okay, just one kit left, Turtlefur. I need you to push one more time. Now!" Another kit, this one a light cream color, came wailing into the world. Shadespot picked the kit up, placed it next to Turtlefur's stomach, and began licking it's fur the wrong way to warm it up, and to help its tiny heart get blood flowing. Palmfur had abandoned her nest for the moment, Turtlefur's other kit held lightly in her jaws. She placed it down next to the other. Once the medicine cat was finished with his kit, he straightened, and examined the kits. The first-born was a tom, all black except for the grey fur that surrounded his neck and chest; the other was a she-kit, with light creamy fur highlighted with slightly darker stripes.

"Two beautiful kits, Turtlefur," Shadespot purred, as he looked to the new mother, who had grown quite silent, "You should be very pr-" The words died in his mouth as Turtlefur's chest began rapidly rising and falling, like she was running as if a horde of monsters were chasing her.

"What in the name of StarClan have you done to my mate, medicine cat?" Saltclaw was finally back, the chamomile left abandoned at the big white tom's paws.

"I-I-I..." the silver tabby stuttered, his eyes growing wide as the she-cat's breaths began coming in shorter, more violent gasps. Blood seeped out onto the moss nest Turtlefur lay in. Her body began shaking, and the kits let out scared mews, churning their tiny paws in the air. "I didn't do anything!" Frantically, the medicine cat set his paws on the she-cat's stomach, working them back and forth quickly as he tried to figure out the problem. Suddenly, Turtlefur grew silent. Her eyes rolled back to meet Shadespot's for a moment, surprisingly bright green and warm. Then they flickered to Saltclaw, growing dull and distant. "Salt...claw," she whispered. The tom hurried to his mate's side, shouldering Shadespot aside roughly.

"Yes, dear?" Saltclaw meowed roughly, crouched down close to the she-cat's side. His pink nose gently brushed against her cheek, and the tom looked as if he were about to shatter into a million pieces. "I'm here, Turtlefur. You're not going anywhere, stay here with me and our children. _Please_."

Turtlefur shook her head slightly, letting out a low keen of pain. "I...I can't, Saltclaw. I'm...I feel so light. Take care of the kits..."  
With a last, sighing breath, Turtlefur's body relaxed completely, going entirely limp. The last of the light faded from her green eyes; the kits, as if sensing something were dreadfully wrong, picked up their chorus of loud wails yet again. Saltclaw went rigid, the fur rising along his spine. He turned stiffly to face Shadespot, his eyes distant and dark as he looked at the medicine cat with unconcealed rage.

"You." He growled, prowling across the den towards the silver spotted tabby. "You let her _go_! What kind of medicine cat are you?"

The kits cries grew impossibly louder as Shadespot packed up towards the edge of the den. "No, no, Saltclaw!" he cried, "There was nothing I could do to save her, I've never seen anything like it. I...I'm sorry!"

"Your apologies mean nothing to me, you worthless piece of mousedung." Saltclaw's ebony claws, sharp as thorns, slid out, digging into the mossy floor as he closed the distance between him and Shadespot. "You deserve to _die _for what you did tonight!" A big white paw lashed upwards, nearly impossible to see. Claws ripped skyward, catching the medicine cat in the chin, slicing easily across fur and skin. A long wound opened up along Shadespot's face; his vision went red as blood poured into his eye from the injury as he screeched in pain and terror. Saltclaw jumped on top of him, his claws digging into the silver tabby's pelt like ice. The tom's breath was in Shadespot's ears, whispering the worst curses he had ever heard. Then suddenly, Saltclaw's massive weight was lifted off of him. The Clan leader stood over him, a paw clamped firmly against his chest. Cardinalstar, her fur fluffed up angrily, looked almost as big as Saltclaw himself.

"Enough!" she growled, voice low and quiet. Outside the den, muttering whispers could be heard as the rest of the Clan gathered to listen to what was happening inside the nursery. "I understand your pain, Saltclaw, but that gives you _no _reason to attack your own medicine cat. Pull yourself together! You have two kits here who still need you."

Slowly, Cardinalstar backed off of the tom, who shakily got to his paws. His green eyes instantly locked onto Shadespot. They were empty, devoid of any emotion, even the ferocious anger he had possessed mere heartbeats before.

They scared Shadespot to his very core.

"Yes, Cardinalstar. I acted unreasonably, and I apologize."

The she-cat nodded. "Good. We'll give your kits to Palmfur to nurse; for now, let's get Turtlefur out of here, so she can be mourned properly. Shadespot," she said, turning to the silver tabby. "Go get yourself cleaned up. Perhaps bring Palmfur some herbs to help her along?"

Shadespot nodded numbly, watching as his leader and Saltclaw lifted Turtlefur's body gently, and then took it out of the den.

He felt rooted to the spot, hot blood dripping onto his paws, and his own life leaked away onto the floor of the den, mixing with Turtlefur's. His eyes wandered over to the edge of the den, where Palmfur was placing the two kits next to her belly so they could begin nursing. Shadespot winced as his gaze settled on the black tom and the creamy she-cat. Voices came to him again, like they had on the beach, whispering and squeaking and growling and yowling in his ears, angry and loud. With a shudder, the silver and black tom slipped out of the nursery, heading off to his den to heal his new wound, the sound of the voices trailing him as he went.

* * *

**Author's Note: So, while writing the first chapter of this story, I realized I made a mistake that, without fixing, would screw up the outline I have written already. Sooooo I made a small edit that's pretty harmless, and made Palmfur a pregnant queen instead of one with already-born kits, making Turtlefur's older than her own. Sorry for any confusion!**


	2. Allegiances & Chapter 1

**Author's note, yes? Yes. :B**  
**So, anyway. Thanks to my readers and reviewers~ I appreciate any feedback I can get, so keep the reviews coming! :D I have an outline created for this story for about...10 chapters? I'm going to work on in a bit more, but at the moment, I've got a bit of writer's block. So...  
I'll try to upload as often as I can. c: But please be patient when it comes to updates? Orrrr send me angry hate mail for being such a slow writer, if you really are excited for the story (as long as it's not too hateful...o3o;).**

Here comes the allegiances, and then our first chapter!

* * *

**TideClan Allegiances**

Leader  
Cardinalstar- Long-furred red tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

Deputy  
Saltclaw- Big white tom with green eyes  
_Apprentice: Cloudpaw_

Medicine Cat  
Shadespot- Silver and black spotted tabby tom with blue eyes and long scar crossing his left cheek

Warriors  
Ebonyfoot- Pure black tom with blue eyes

Mothflight- Black and brown brindled she-cat with yellow-green eyes

Ambernose- Pale ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Frogleap- Skinny brown tom with green eyes

Lichenheart- Dark ginger tom with green eyes_  
_

Fishtail- Grey tabby tom with a stubby tail and blue eyes

Tallclaw- Long-legged tabby tom with blue eyes_  
_

Silvernose- Light silver she-cat with green eyes

Riverfur- Blue-grey she-cat with yellow eyes

Sedgefoot- Yellow tom with faint tabby stripes and a white muzzle and paws

Apprentices  
Cloudpaw- Grey and white tom with yellow eyes

Queens  
Palmfur- Pale brown tabby she-cat, Mother to Ebonyfoot's kits: Webkit- pure black tom and Grasskit- light brown tabby she-cat;surrogate mother to Cliffkit- smoky black and grey tom and Brightkit- cream colored she-cat with blue eyes.

Nightpelt- Black she-cat with green eyes, expecting Tallclaw's kits.

Elders  
Sharkbite- Grey tabby tom with missing right front paw, lost in a shark attack as a warrior.

Pooltail- Fluffly blue-grey she-cat with amber eyes

* * *

Over the horizon, the sun was beginning to rise, turning the dark night sky into a light blue shade as the fiery orb began its ascent. The faint sound of bird song wandered through the jungle as the creatures inside began to wake; mice scurried about under the shelter of bent ferns and palms, geckos slithered about on the forest floor in search of insects to snatch up for breakfast, and a mongoose emerged from its underground den, beady eyes surveying the jungle.

Sunlight filtered into a large clearing: a neat, circular patch of sandy ground where TideClan made their home. Surrounded by thick bushes and tall grass were six different structures, constructed to make dens for the Clan's various members. The biggest was made entirely of woven strands of fern and palm fronds, made rigid and tough due to seasons spent weathering the rain and harsh sunlight. It was dome shaped, and large enough to fit the entire Clan, if necessary. Directly across from this den, the warrior's den, sat one that was of identical structure, but easily half as small. Delicate, but beautiful shells adorned the entrance, which was covered with a sheet of vines to offer privacy to the den's owner: the Clan leader. A completely hollowed out tree lay on the ground directly to the left of the leader's den, serving as a den for the Clan's apprentices. To the right of the warrior's den was a large thorn bush, its branches spread out high and wide, opening up to a spacious area where the Clan's elders could sleep safely. To the left of the apprentice den, the ground sloped down gently, forming a large dip in the ground. The surrounding grasses bent over, forming a roof over the indent. Moss covered a majority of the sandy floor, and half coconut shells lined up along one curved wall contained a variety of colorful plants and leaves and roots. In between the thorn bush and the sloped den that acted as the medicine area was a large, hollowed out tree trunk served as home to the Clan's queen and their kits. The den was dim, due to a layer of ferns that mostly blocked out any sunlight that would have otherwise strongly beaten down through the top of the trunk. There was an abundance of mossy nests littering the inside of the den, but only two were occupied; one by a black she-cat, her belly swollen only slightly, and a pale brown tabby she-cat, with four kits nestled around her.

Two of the kits were curled up right next to the queen's stomach, their fur brushing against the she-cat's belly. The other two, however, were sleeping a bit of a distance away, and were obviously bigger. The pale tabby queen began to stir, lifting up her small head to look around the nursery. Her jaws split in a wide yawn, displaying pointy white teeth and a pink tongue. As soon as the yawn subsided, the she-cat lifted herself up, careful not to disturb the two kits that were previously pressed against her warm belly. The queen bent over one of the bigger kits, a cream colored tabby.

"Brightkit," she whispered into the kit's ear, "time to wake up."

The kit's eyes instantly opened, displaying ocean-blue eyes. She rolled over, swinging a small paw up at the tabby queen's nose.

"Good morning, Palmfur," the she-kit mewed, smiling up at her. The queen had easily ducked out of the way of Brightkit's lazy swipe, and flicked her tail at the kit's ears.

"I'm going to talk to Cardinalstar about the ceremony today," the pale brown tabby called quietly over her shoulder as she made her way out of the nursery, "so do me a favor and get your brother up, then start getting ready, okay?" Brightkit nodded at Palmfur, watching the slim she-cat slip out into the nearly deserted camp. Her bright blue gazed then turned to her brother, who was lying on his side, limbs spread out wide, black and grey fur badly ruffled. Mischief gleamed in Brightkit's eyes as she lifted her paw, searching carefully for a good place to strike. Then, her paw lashed out quickly, jabbing at the tom's ribs.

"Wake up, Cliffkit!" she hissed playfully, leaping neatly over the tom's nest. She crouched down low to the ground, tail lashing back and forth as she watched her brother struggle to his paws. His eyes, a pale yellow-green color, narrowed dangerously.

"Would a simple 'rise and shine' be too much to ask for, dear sister?" Cliffkit growled mockingly, rolling his eyes as Brightkit crouched lower to the ground. The she-kit stuck her tongue out at her brother, waggling her rear playfully.

"Maybe it was. What cha gonna do about it, lazybones? I bet you can't catch me!" As soon as Brightkit's challenge left her mouth, the black and grey tom launched himself at her, and the two became entangled in a flurry of flailing paws and tails, rolling playfully around the den. Giggles erupted from the chaotically rolling ball of fur, and did not stop even after the two flattened Nightpelt's tail. The pregnant she-cat jumped to her feet with a yowl of surprise, drawing her injured tail close to her body.

"Enough!" she hissed, stomping threateningly close to the two siblings. Her outburst had awakened Palmfur's other two kits, Webkit and Grasskit. They watched with wide eyes as Brightkit and Cliffkit broke apart, looking sheepish. "Is that any way for kits your age to act?"

"Sorry, Nightpelt," Brightkit muttered, looking up nervously at the angry she-cat, "I was the one who jumped Cliffkit...I didn't mean to make you mad."

The black queen huffed, letting her fur lay down flat. "I suppose it's understandable," she said, turning around to lie back down in her nest, "becoming an apprentice is a big deal. I remember how excited and happy I was to become an apprentice." Cliffkit tilted his head to the side, catching his sister's eye. _Nightpelt, happy and excited? _his eyes seemed to say. Surely the black furred queen was kidding; as long as Brightkit had known Nightpelt, she was always grouchy and irritable, like an elder. The creamy tabby shrugged, and turned her attention to her brother.

"Palmfur said we need to get ourselves ready for the ceremony; she went to go wake Cardinalstar." Cliffkit snorted lightly, giving his long black fur a shake.

"I was _born _ready, Brightkit," he purred confidently, gazing proudly at his smooth pelt. The creamy tabby rolled her eyes, padding to her brother's side.

"No, you missed a spot, mouse-brain. Right...here!" She punctuated her point with a blow to Cliffkit's hindquarters, before quickly scampering out of his reach. The tom bared his teeth in a half-hearted snarl at his sister, and then twisted around to untangle a knot of fur near his back legs. With a sigh, Brightkit told herself to calm down and get to work on her own pelt, which was messy and covered in scraps of stray moss.

A few moments later, Palmfur returned to the nursery. She nodded a brief greeting to Nightpelt, then padded over to help Brightkit with her grooming. "As soon as you two are ready," she said between licks, "we'll head outside. The Clan is gathering for the ceremony." Sure enough, the clan was rising early for the sibling's apprentice ceremony, their tired voices drifting through the entrance to the nursery. Brightkit squirmed nervously under her adoptive mother's tongue.

"Do you think Saltclaw is as excited as we are?" she asked. "I...don't remember the last time he came in to see us."

Palmfur licked the she-kit's ear comfortingly. "Your father is a very busy cat, being the Clan deputy. I saw him on my way back from talking to Cardinalstar, and he looked very proud." This reassurance made Brightkit smile, yet sad. Their mother wouldn't be there today, watching her and Cliffkit's ceremony. Bits and pieces of foggy memories came to mind when she thought of Turtlefur: warm, soft fur tainted with the cool slickness of blood. With a quiet sigh, Brightkit closed her eyes, allowing the memories, the sounds, and the scents to wash over her. A silent promise came to her. A promise to be the best warrior she could be. For Turtlefur.

"Who do you think our mentors will be, Brightkit?" Her brother's voice brought Brightkit's thoughts back to the present, and she opened her eyes to see the black and grey tom standing in front of her, his paws nervously kneading the mossy floor beneath them. Brightkit shrugged lightly as Palmfur finished up with her pelt.

"I don't know. The only warrior in the Clan with an apprentice is Saltclaw, so...we could be assigned to nearly anyone."

Cliffkit plopped down next to his sister, pale yellow eyes now shining with excitement. "It'd be the coolest thing ever to have Cardinalstar as a mentor, don't you think?" However, before Brightkit could answer, a loud yowl sounded outside the den.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Lava Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Finally finished with Brightkit's fur, Palmfur quickly got to her paws. "That sounds like your cue," she meowed excitedly. Two bundles of fur streaked across the den, suddenly awake.

"I wish _I _was becoming an apprentice today!" a pure black tom huffed, coming to rest by Brightkit's paws. A light brown and white tabby followed after the tom, looking sad.

Brightkit purred, lightly cuffing the tom over the ear with a paw. "Don't worry, Webkit!" she said to him, "In a couple of moons, you and Grasskit will be joining us in the apprentice's den. I be sure to save you both some nice nests?" Palmfur chuckled a little, nosing her kits towards the nursery exit; Nightpelt had already left, and was sitting next to her mate, Tallclaw, whose brown tabby pelt gleamed in the sunlight.

"But until you two are older," Palmfur muttered, "you'll just have to sit and patiently wait your turn, while cheering for Cliffkit and Brightkit."  
Giving a skip of happiness, the cream colored tabby followed her adoptive mother, feeling Cliffkit scamper after her, right on her heels. The two siblings came to a stop at the edge of the group of cats gathered around a big grey-black rock that sat between the warrior's den and the camp entrance. A huge red she-cat sat proudly on the top of the rock, amber eyes surveying her clanmates gathered below. As her gaze fell on Brightkit and Cliffkit, she let out another yowl.

"As the rising sun now shines on TideClan on this new morning, so does StarClan's approval of these two kits, Cliffkit and Brightkit. Like the leaders before me, I, Cardinalstar, call upon our warrior ancestors to gaze upon these two kits." As the words left the she-cat's mouth, bright sunlight filtered through the treetops and into the clearing. According to myth, TideClan apprentices were always named at the break of dawn, when the sun began to rise, signifying the rising of new apprentices into the ranks of the Clan.

"TideClan is finally ready to name two new apprentices," Cardinalstar announced after the age-old preamble, "an occasion I'm sure Cloudpaw has been anxiously waiting for for many moons now." This last part was met with a few chuckles; a grey and white tom sitting near the back grinned widely, nodding quickly to his leader. With a wave of her tail, Cardinalstar beckoned the two kits closer. Cliffkit lead the way, his head held high; Brightkit followed her brother closely, trying to remain calm. Her paws were beginning to quake. What if she messed up during the ceremony? Or what if she got a poor mentor?

"Cliffkit, from this day on, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Cliffpaw. Tallclaw," Cardinalstar said, turning her gaze to the big tabby that sat beside Nightpelt, "you have trained Riverfur well, and it is time you recieved another apprentice. I trust you shall pass on all that you know to Cliffpaw." The crowd parted as Tallclaw made his way towards Brightkit's brother, and he bent low to touch his nose to his new apprentice's, whose eyes grew wide with excitement as he greeted his new mentor. The two drew away towards the edge of the group of TideClan cats, and Cardinalstar continued with the ceremony.

"Brightkit, from this day on, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Brightpaw." This time, the Clan leader turned to a brownish-red tom sitting near the front of the crowd. "Lichenheart, while you have not yet had an apprentice, you have showcased your bravery and skill to TideClan time and time again. I trust you shall pass on all that you know to Brightpaw."

The tom approached Brightpaw, bushy tail waving excitedly. They touched noses, and the clan broke into a chant.

"Cliffpaw, Brightpaw! Cliffpaw, Brightpaw!"

The cream she-cat watched the crowd proudly, taking in the view before her. There was Frogleap and Ambernose, her new mentor's siblings, right near the front, cheering their paws off. Palmfur grinned happily at her and Cliffpaw from her place near the nursery, Webkit and Grassskit waving their stubby tails at the new apprentices. Even Saltclaw stood at the back of the crowd next to Nightpelt, his best friend's mate, looking happier than he had in the moons after his own mate, Turtlefur died. Nearly all of TideClan were chanting their names. However, it felt as though one cat was...missing. Brightpaw's blue eyes swept through the crowd numerous times, searching for a silver tabby pelt. Her assumptions were correct: the Clan's medicine cat, Shadespot, was missing.

Brightpaw wasn't sure why this discovery bothered her, creating a knot of tension in the pit of her belly. She quickly shook it off, however; for now, she wanted to bask in the pride of being a new apprentice. This was the first pawstep into the journey of becoming a warrior of TideClan.

_I'll make you proud, Turtlefur_, she thought. _I promise I will, mom._


	3. Chapter 2

**This is a direct continuation of the next chapter. c: Decided to cut what I had in half, since chapter one was gettin' kind long. So here we go~**

* * *

The cheering eventually died down, and the TideClan cats began going their separate ways. A big white tom weaved his way through the throng of cats, coming to stand before Brightpaw, Cliffpaw, and their mentors.

"Congratulations, you too," Saltclaw said, looking down at his two children, "Be sure to listen to your mentors, and you'll be proud TideClan warriors in no time."

Cliffkit nodded to his father, looking very small next to his mentor, Tallclaw. The tabby tom chuckled, and said, "If they listen as often as I listen to you, then they should turn out just fine, right Saltclaw?" The white tom growled slightly at his friend and former apprentice.

"If they listen as often as you did, Tallclaw, I'll have your pelt. No children of mine will be anything less than amazing warriors."

Lichenheart, Brightpaw's mentor, cleared his throat. "No need to worry, Saltclaw. We won't let these two down." Upon hearing his name, the big white tom swung his gaze towards the reddish-brown tom, eyes narrowing in surprise.

"I wouldn't expect anything less... Lichenfur?"

"It's Lichen_heart_. Brightpaw," he said, turning to his apprentice, "we should go, before it starts getting too hot." Lichenheart turned away from the other quickly, his paws leading him to a gap in the protective sedge and bush boundary of the camp. The young she-cat glanced between her mentor and her brother, her paws kneading the ground. With one last look at Cliffpaw, Brightpaw followed after Lichenheart; her brother's voice met her ears as her paws slipped past the camp exit, begging Tallclaw to go with Lichenheart and his sister. But Tallclaw's reply, if he replied at all, was lost to Brightpaw as she caught up to her mentor.

"What...are we going to do first, Lichenheart?" She mewed hestitantly. Lichenheart wasn't the cat to get worked up easily; neither was Saltclaw one to forget the names of his clanmates. It was a confusing situation, Brightpaw thought, and she wondered if the observations she'd made during her first six moons of the other cats of TideClan were skewed. With a sigh, the reddish-brown tom turned his head to address Brightpaw over his shoulder.

"We're going to get those paws of yours some mileage," he purred jokingly, slowing his pace to accommodate for the she-cat's shorter legs. His own paws turned north, were the ground was beginning to slope upwards. "The first thing you must become familiar with as a warrior is the territory. We are blessed to not have to compete with any other Clans or groups of aggressive cats, so TideClan's land stretches far and wide, from the river, to the volcano, and to the sandy beaches to the east and south." Brightpaw found herself clinging to every word her mentor said, eyes widening in amazement and curiosity.

"We're going to travel over _all _of the Clan's territory in one day? And what's a volcano?"

"A volcano is a big mountain that breathes fire out of its mouth located at the peak. In the past, or so it's said, Fire-Breath Mountain erupted, spewing lava, which is melted rock mixed with fire, all around, forming the island we live on. The lava hardened, forming into big, black and grey hills around the base of the mountain. Some lava even traveled as far down to our camp; that's how the Lava Rock came to rest in the clearing. "

Brightpaw's jaw dropped as she listened, imagining fire erupting from the mountain's top. It made her paws tremble slightly, and she asked, "Has the volcano erupted since the island was formed?" Lichenheart shook his head.

"No, it hasn't. Fire-Breath has been sleeping for moons, and we pray to StarClan it stays that way. Such an eruption would destroy the forest, and any cat in its path." The creamy she-cat let out a gasp of fear, and Lichenheart set his tail over her shoulders comfortingly. "An eruption wouldn't be all bad; apparently, the lava helps things grow, after many generations. It makes the soil fertile, and allows the jungle to grow strong. Without the original eruption, TideClan would not thrive as it is currently. Do you hear that roaring?"

At this question, Brightpaw pricked her ears, listening intently. Sure enough, a faint crashing and roaring sound met her ears. "What is it?" she asked.

Plunging into the undergrowth, Lichenheart failed to answer that question. His red pelt disappeared into a swath of ferns, and Brightpaw dove in after him, breaking into a run to make sure she didn't lose her mentor. Eventually, she emerged into an opening, and nearly slammed into the tom. He had stopped, poised a couple tail-lengths from a sheer drop. The roaring had intensified to a near deafening level, and Brightpaw crouched down next to her mentor in fear, ears flat against her skull. "What is it?" she yelled, repeating her question over the noise.

"The Gorge," Lichenheart cried, still forced to talk loudly even though he bent down close to the apprentice. "Here, the river drops down steep rock cliffs, forming waterfalls and treacherous currents before it meets a lower elevation. At the end, the river runs into Fresh Water Lake." Straightening, Lichenheart waved his tail, signaling for Brightpaw to follow. He lead her away from the Gorge, and the sounds of crashing water finally grew quieter. "As you probably know," he started again, "salt-water found in the ocean is no good for drinking. We get our drinking water from Fresh Water, or from points further up the river, if necessary. Our territory follows the river, and ends where it meets a beach on the southern end of the island." For awhile, the two traveled in comfortable silence, occasionally broken by questions asked by Brightpaw. Once, a light brown, furry creature with a long tail poked its head out of a hole in the ground, hissing angrily at the two cats as they made their way through the jungle. Brightpaw jumped at the sudden noise, unsheathing her claws as the animal glared at her and her mentor. Eventually, it disappeared inside the hole.

"What was that?" she asked, refusing to sheath her claws in case it came back. She had seen the animal's small, but sharp looking, teeth, and found herself shaking yet again. She _hated_ the unknown, and wished she and Lichenheart had already finished exploring. That way, she'd feel more comfortable in her own territory.

"A mongoose," Lichenheart replied, eyes narrowed as he stared at the place the creature had appeared from. "They're not too dangerous; only when they're desperate for a meal will they attack cats. That's why you shouldn't leave camp unattended for awhile, Brightpaw," he said, turning his green eyes to her. "A mongoose will attack a small cat, if they're alone. Once you learn some fighting moves, however, you should be able to deal with one on your own." Brightpaw nodded, slowly allowing her claws to slide back into place. She no longer trembled, but the thought of one of those creatures attacking Webkit or Grasskit scared her. She raised her muzzle stubbornly; she'd learn how to defend herself and her clanmates, and would never let anything harm them.

The two continued on, stopping briefly when Fire-Breath Mountain loomed into view. At the base of the sleeping volcano crouched rolling grey hills, sooty and dusty with a covering of ash. Nothing grew within a large radius of the volcano and the surrounding hills, fittingly called Death Hills.  
As the sun crept directly overhead, Lichenheart and Brightpaw reached the Eastern Beach, where the reddish-brown tom showed Brightpaw where to find crabs in the sand. The creamy apprentice had found a very pretty shell. It was about as long as her paw, and twisted into a slight cone shape. Mostly white and tinged with pink, it caught Brightpaw's eye immediately. She wanted to take it back to camp, maybe to show the elders or keep to herself, but Lichenheart said there was no use in carrying it all the way back to camp, when they still had a bit of territory to explore. With a sigh, Brightpaw abandoned the shell, and followed her mentor along the beach, until they reached Tidepool Rocks. The pools were made of the same black-grey rock the Lava Rock was made up of, so Brightpaw assumed they were formed long ago by Fire-Breath's eruption. Squinting her eyes against the bright sun, the she-cat could barely make out a shape as it leaped among the pools. Its pelt came into focus, and Brightpaw instantly recognized the unique black spotted, silver tabby pelt.

"That's Shadespot, isn't it, Lichenheart?" she asked, pointing with her nose towards the cat. Her mentor squinted as well, then nodded.

"Looks like it. Hey, Shadespot!" he called out, approaching Tidepool Rocks. "Have you been out here all morning? You missed Brightpaw and Cliffpaw's apprentice ceremony!" As the two made it to the foot of the pools, Shadespot's ears pricked up. TideClan's medicine cat peered down at them with pale blue eyes, which locked onto Brightpaw immediately.

"I-I did? Oh, yes. I...forgot. That that was this morning," he muttered, finally turning his gaze from Brightpaw to the ocean. "Sorry."

"Forgetful furrball," Lichenheart purred quietly, "What are you looking for up there?" Shadespot was now pacing along the edge of the rocks, peering down into the ocean's deep, blue-green water.

"Hmm? I'm just...looking. I thought I saw a shark fin break the surface awhile ago," he said quickly, hopping down besides Lichenheart and Brightpaw. "It'd be best not to hunt here for a little while, in case it comes back."

Brightpaw looked out at the choppy water, expecting to see the shark appear. She'd heard stories of the big grey fish with pointy teeth. One of the Clan's elders, Sharkbite, had been attacked by one of the monsters a long time ago while hunting in shallow waters as a young warrior. He had lost one of his front paws, and was forced to retire because of the accident. Now, he spent his time telling exciting and terrifying tales to any young cat brave enough to listen.

"We're not hunting," she piped up, turning her gaze to the medicine cat. Did he flinch when her deep blue eyes touched him? "I...Lichenheart and I are exploring; it's my first time out of camp as an apprentice." As she finished, a big yawn parted her jaws, and she couldn't squash it down, no matter how hard she tried. Lichenheart chuckled beside her.

"Yes we have. You must be getting quite tired," he said, eyes sparkling as he swatted at the she-cat playfully with his bushy tail. "I think it's about time to head back." Brightpaw wanted to object; she hadn't seen all of TideClan's territory yet! However, she finally felt pain burning in her legs. She just wasn't used to doing this much walking quite yet, and she was sure she'd be sore in the morning. "Care to come with us, Shadespot?"

The silver tabby shifted uncomfortably on his paws, glancing between Lichenheart and Brightpaw. "Erm..." he hesitated, swiping a paw across his face. The creamy apprentice felt her eyes drawn to the long scar that split the fur on Shadespot's left cheek. "I actually need to go and try to find some...coconuts. I'm running out of storage space in my den, I need more shells to hold herbs...Best to start collecting before the rainy season moves in and drowns all the herbs, right?"

Lichenheart nodded, then turned towards the jungle. "Best of luck searching, then!" he called over his shoulder, "Come along, Brightpaw. Let's head back to camp." Casting a last look at the clan's medicine cat, Brightpaw hurried after her mentor. She felt Shadespot's eyes following her, and shivered slightly once she was back in the shelter of the undergrowth.

When Brightpaw and Lichenheart finally padded into camp, the new apprentice felt as though her paws were going to drop off. Noticing her weariness, Lichenheart purred. "Go ahead and find a nest in the apprentice's den. After you rest, feel free to get something to eat off the fresh-kill pile." At the apprentice's look of surprise, he continued, "I know you haven't contributed to a hunting party today, but you were just made an apprentice, Brightpaw. In the days to come, you'll learn to hunt. Then, you'll be expected to catch something before you eat. Today is an exception. " The reddish-brown tom gave her a slight nudge with his nose. "Go on," he urged, then padded off to join his siblings, Frogleap and Ambernose, in the shade cast across the clearing by the towering Lava Rock.

Although her paws felt like stones weighing her down, Brightpaw managed to make her way to the apprentice's den. She was surprised to find Cloudpaw, TideClan's oldest apprentice, laying down near the entrance, grooming his long grey and white fur. He looked up at her, yellow eyes warm.

"Hello!" he said cheerfully, getting to his paws, "I was wondering when I'd see you. Come to claim a nest, right?" Before the she-cat could reply, Cloudpaw turned and disappeared inside the hollowed out log, waving his tail at her. Brightpaw padded inside, welcoming the cool darkness of the den. She came to a stop besides the grey and white tom, who said, "Saltclaw had me go out to fetch some moss to make nests for you and your brother shortly after you left. This one's yours." Gingerly, Brightpaw stepped into the nest, and sighed happily at the feeling of the soft fibers on her pads.

"Thank you," she managed to murmur as she settled into the moss, curling her tail around her slightly. If Cloudpaw replied, Brightpaw didn't hear it. The black waves of sleep quickly washed over her, and Brightpaw made no effort to fight them.

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**If any readers want to see a pic of TideClan's territory or camp, I have some basic Paint images created that showcase them. (: Message me if you're interested in seeing them, and I can make them my avatar, or link to them on my profile. **

**Don't forget to leave a review after you've finished reading! C; any feedback is welcome! Our next chapter will be in Cliffpaw's point of view, and will contain a special TideClan tradition~ I'm looking forward to writing it!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Here are the answers to some reviewer questions (hint, hint, Juniper. x3)**

**My original thought was that StarClan came to a cat who lived somewhere on the mainland, in an industrial area that housed many ships. After gathering up a few friends, they managed to sneak onto a ship that StarClan marked out to them, and reached the island after days aboard the boat, surviving on what little water they could find dripping off pipes and catching and eating rats that lived in the cargo hold. Then, upon arriving, they set out, meeting a few more loners/kittypets who were already living with and around the few twolegs who live on the small island. Eventually, the group journeyed to the far end of the island, where TideClan now makes their home. c: Perhaps if I actually finish this story, I can go back and do a prequel of sorts. **

**In answer to the second question, I believe so, according to the research I did. A pregnant cat can nurse other kittens while still expecting her own, assuming her own kittens will come within the next few days, since her body starts producing milk a couple days beforehand. Which, Webkit and Grasskit are a bit younger than Cliffpaw and Brightpaw, by two weeks or so... a bit out of this time frame. :U so, uh. My mistake for not doing this research before writing the prolouge. Sorry 'bout that!**

**And I'll take your advice on the names. ^-^ When it comes to giving warriors their suffix, I like to stick to something that describes their particular skillset. If they're just a good all-around warrior, I kinda default to something describing their appearance, hence the -fur suffix. **

**Anyways, time for the next chapter!**

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Warm pelts pressed against him from every side, fur brushing his own black and grey coat as the Clan calmly made their way through the forest. Cliffpaw glanced to his left, meeting his sister's eyes, which glowed bright with excitement in the moonlight. The full moon overhead shone down on the cats as they made their way through the forest, turning green plants into shining silver stalks and leaves. Nearly all the members of TideClan followed after Cardinalstar as the big ginger she-cat padded through the jungle at the head of the group. Only Sharkbite, Pooltail, Palmfur, Webkit and Grasskit remained in camp. TideClan's two elders did not wish to make the journey southward towards Starlight Beach, and Palmfur's kits were still too young to participate in tonight's ceremony.

Right behind Cardinalstar, two cats supported a large, pure white conch shell across their shoulders. The left side of the shell was held up by Sedgefoot, a ginger and white tom who was TideClan's newest warrior; the right portion of the conch was supported by Shadespot, balanced precariously across the tom's thin shoulders. The light of the full moon illuminated the shell as the two padded into a pool of moonlight, causing the conch to glow with a faint white light that made Cliffpaw's eyes widen in astonishment.

"It's so...beautiful," Brightpaw whispered from beside him, her own amazement reflected in the volume of her voice. Riverfur, a grey-blue she-cat, turned around briefly, smiling at the two new apprentices.

"Just wait until the ceremony starts," the warrior purred, then faced the front of the procession once again, bending her head so she could quietly talk with her sister, Silvernose.

Only a few sunrises had passed since Cliffpaw and his sister had been made apprentices, making them quite lucky to be able to attend the Full Moon Celebration. Still, the black and grey tom was confused as to exactly what was going to happen tonight. None of his Clanmates had told the two new apprentices the specifics of the Celebration; when asked, they simply said "You'll see."  
Cliffpaw huffed in annoyance, tired of receiving answers that were less than straightforward, tired of waiting.

"Who spit on your fresh-kill?" Cloudpaw teased, coming up to walk next to Brightpaw, yet directing his question to Cliffpaw. "You'll get to see the ceremony soon enough, and we're almost to Starlight Beach."

"I know that," the younger apprentice growled, "I'm not a mouse brain!" Cloudpaw and Brightpaw chuckled as Cliffpaw's fur began to ruffle.

"Lighten up, Cliffy," Cloudpaw continued, a smile on his face, "I'm only joking." Cliffpaw was about to growl again, but the noise died in his throat as Cardinalstar yowled from the front of the line. The black and grey tom hadn't even noticed the transition from soft grass, leaves, and moss under his paws to the cool slickness of sand. TideClan began spilling out onto the beach, gathering around their leader in a circle in the middle of Starlight Beach.

"Come on!" Brightpaw mewed excitedly, dashing off to Cliffpaw's right, heading for her mentor Lichenheart. Cloudpaw blinked apologetically at the younger apprentice before bounding off in the opposite direction towards Fishtail, a silver tabby tom who had already claimed a spot for himself in the circle near Cardinalstar. Cliffpaw was the last cat standing outside the circle, and quickly squeezed himself in between his sister and Nightpelt, who hissed at him when he bumped into her slightly swollen belly. "Sorry!" he whispered, pressing himself close to Brightpaw in order to keep himself from touching the irritably pregnant she-cat.  
"Shh!" his sister whispered, "Cardinalstar is getting ready to start!" Cliffpaw rolled his eyes, suppressing a wave of anger. Tonight certainly wasn't his night. Nevertheless, he made sure to keep quiet, as he was excited for the ceremony to begin.

"Cats of TideClan!" Cardinalstar began loudly, quieting the cats who were still talking, "tonight we gather under the light of the full moon, the light of the stars, under the watch of our warrior ancestors, to celebrate all that StarClan has given us." As she was speaking, Sedgefoot and Shadespot let the white conch fall softly into the sand. The ginger and white warrior squeezed himself into the circle next to Cloudpaw, while Shadespot remained at the foot of the conch, his eyes half closed as he listened to his leader.  
"First, we thank StarClan for our heritage. If it were not for our warrior ancestors, we would not have the Moonshell, our territory, our prey, or even TideClan itself. For it was our warrior ancestors, descended from the legendary Clans of Old – Shadow, River, Wind, and Thunder – who came to Orion, the cat who would become TideClan's first leader. Orion, while he was a kittypet, was brave and wise beyond his moons. StarClan chose him to create a Clan of his own, to continue on and build up the way of the warriors. He gathered fierce fighters, stealthy hunters, intelligent healers, and any and all who wished to learn the warrior code.  
"It was then that StarClan gave Orion a vision, a vision of lush jungles, sandy beaches, and roaring rivers running rich with prey, all surrounded by the vast, deep blue ocean. Orion knew this is where his group of followers was to make their home. So Orion and the others sneaked upon a floating Twoleg monster, which they hoped and prayed would lead them to the island that StarClan had shown to their leader. They were lucky, for the bottom of the floating monster was the home of many rats, which Orion and his followers hunted and slew. Unfortunately, not all survived, killed by the very prey they caught; among the dead was Orion's mate. When all hope seemed lost, StarClan came to Orion again. His dream was hazy and disorienting, yet the message was clear: his Clan was nearly home. The next sunrise, an island appeared on the horizon, and the floating monster came to rest on its shore. Orion and his followers fled, racing through the few Twoleg nests that rested between them and the jungle which represented safety. They ran and ran, even though they were weak and tired. Finally, a roaring sound stopped each of the cats in their tracks. Orion and his followers had reached the Gorge that we are all familiar with. They traveled south, fearful of the crashing water and deadly sharp rocks, and they eventually found Fresh Water Lake. Orion realized that the Gorge would act as a great barrier in case the Twolegs journeyed too far into the jungle, and wisely set up his Clan's camp to the east of it.  
"Orion and his Clan prospered on the island. They created the camp we reside in today, building up dens that would endure for moons to come. They learned the best ways to hunt the prey of the island, some of which they had never encountered on the mainland before, such as pheasants and geese. They learned to avoid the huge, grey-finned fish called sharks, instead hunting and fishing for the smaller ocean dwellers in the shallow waters of the beach.  
"Most importantly, one of Orion's cats discovered the knowledge of healing herbs, and that a select few others besides her leader could communicate with StarClan. This she-cat was the one who discovered the Moonshell, and how when she touched her nose to its pure white surface, she could talk to our warrior ancestors. She showed Orion, who received the nine lives of a Clan leader, along with a new name. StarClan removed Orion's kittypet name, and gave him the name Lightstar, for his pelt was as vibrant and bright as a ray of sunshine. The she-cat was named Lightstar's medicine cat, and given the name Shellheart, for her discovery of the Moonshell and kindhearted nature."

Cardinalstar paused, drawing in a deep breath. Cliffpaw took one as well, not even realizing he had been holding his own breath. As a kit, the elders had told Cliffpaw stories of the bravest cats of TideClan, but he had never heard the beginning history of his ancestors.

"Lightstar returned to his Clan and gave each of his followers a warrior name, for every single one of them had earned it. No longer were they a band of loners, rouges, and kittypets. They were TideClan, Lightstar decided, for he believed his Clan had the strength to endure all changes that came to them, and to overcome any challenges they faced.

"Thus, TideClan was born."

As Cardinalstar finished, Saltclaw lifted his head towards the stars and a let loose a yowl of triumph. The rest of the Clan did the same, and the night sky was filled with the cries of the TideClan warriors. The blood in Cliffpaw's veins burned as he too celebrated his heritage and thanked his warrior ancestors for the opportunity he was given as an apprentice of TideClan. He wanted, more than anything, to be sitting in his father's place, being the one to lead his Clanmates in such an important, necessary celebration. Even more so, he wanted to be in Cardinalstar's place as leader. That, he realized, is what he was born for: to be the best warrior the jungle had ever seen, earning him the highest and most respected position in TideClan.

Cardinalstar took a seat in the circle, leaving Shadespot and the Moonshell alone in its center. The spotted silver tom cleared his throat and began speaking.

"Now, let us all take a moment to give our quiet thanks to our gracious warrior ancestors." Each of the warriors next to Cliffpaw bowed their heads in silence, and Cliffpaw hastened to do the same. He felt Brightpaw bend down low next to him, murmuring something under her breath. He thought he heard their mother's name, but he wasn't too sure. Cliffpaw then sent his own prayer up to his warrior ancestors, thanking him for the opportunity he was given as an apprentice of TideClan, and he asked for the strength necessary to fulfill his newly realized dreams. Unsure of what to do, Cliffpaw lifted his head a bit, glancing around the circle. The rest of his Clanmates still had their heads bowed in silence, except for one. Saltclaw sat with narrowed eyes, glaring at the Clan's medicine cat, who crouched with his nose pressed to the Moonshell. His father's green eyes burned with intensity, and Cliffpaw recognized the emotion portrayed in his father's face: hatred. Surprise engulfed the apprentice as he continued to study Saltclaw. However, before he could react, the faint glow the mystical conch cast pulsed. The white light grew in intensity, forcing Cliffpaw to squeeze his eyes shut. He could still see the glow through his eyelids; beside him, Brightpaw gasped and pressed herself against him, trembling slightly in fear. Then, as suddenly as it had happened, the light faded. Cliffpaw opened his eyes, along with the rest of his Clanmates. He saw Saltclaw with his head down, the last one to open his eyes. No one besides Cliffpaw would have known differently.

Shadespot gasped, jumping back from the Moonshell. His blue eyes were wide with fear, and his gaze immediately sought out TideClan's deputy, before quickly flickering to Cliffpaw and his sister. Finally, the silver spotted tabby turned to Cardinalstar, regaining his composure.

"The warriors of StarClan thank us for our prayers and our continued work to uphold and protect the Warrior Code," Shadespot said aloud, addressing all of the Clan. Cardinalstar rose, padding into the center of the circle.

"Our prayers have been heard, which means the Full Moon Celebration has now come to an end," she announced, "According to tradition, new warriors would be named during this time. However," Cardinalstar said, her eyes sparkling with humor, "our apprentices still have a bit of work to do before they can be named full warriors of TideClan." A chorus of chuckles rose from those assembled. Cliffpaw's ears burned in embarrassment while Brightpaw scuffed at the ground with her paws. Cloudpaw sat up straighter, looking dignified despite the joke. "So," TideClan's leader continued, "I will stand vigil over you, my Clanmates, as we rest beneath the light of our warrior ancestors for the remainder of the night." Cardinalstar waved her tail, and the circle began to break apart as cats searched for friends to spend the rest of the night with.

Brightpaw tapped Cliffpaw on the shoulder. "Come on," she said, getting to her paws, "let's go over by Cloudpaw and Sedgefoot." The black and grey tom followed his sister, curling up next to her as she settled down next to the Clan's other apprentice and newest warrior. He heard the faint shifting of sand as another cat padded up to their group, and nearly jumped when he felt a tongue rasp over his ear briefly.

"Goodnight," a gruff voice said; Cliffpaw recognized it as his father's, and cracked open an eye as the big white tom walked away, going to lie down next to Tallclaw and Nightpelt. A slight shiver racked his frame as he remembered the intense look of hatred Saltclaw had given Shadespot during the Celebration; how his father was capable of displaying such a wide range of emotion within a few minutes of each other was beyond him. Saltclaw's brief show of affection was puzzling, but even more so was his display of anger, seemingly without cause.

Cliffpaw pondered these things, listening to the swell of the ocean at his back. The repetitive sound made him drowsy, and the eye he had opened before slowly began to close once more as Cliffpaw drifted into the world of dreams.

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**So...I know it's been what, nearly 7 months since I've updated this story? Sorry about that. ): I'm terribly busy with school and such, but now it's Christmas break, so hopefully that means uploading another chapter or so within the next week? Hopefully this chapter isn't too overwhelming or anything...I wrote all but the first paragraph today, so hopefully it doesn't stink either. **

**I know I'm a bad updater. Buuuuut read and review? (:**


	5. Chapter 4

**I've added links to the basic Paint pictures I'd made of TideClan's territory and camp to my profile. Hopefully the links show up and work; I was trying to just put them here in this author's note, but FF must have rules up against such a thing, because they keep disappearing. Fingers crossed? **

**And don't forget to review, readers. ;) Reviews make me happy.**

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The piercing cries of surprised seagulls jerked Cliffpaw from his dreams. The young tom's yellow-green gaze flickered upwards as he watched nearly a dozen of the white and grey birds circling overhead, squawking angrily at TideClan cats gathered below. Turning to his right, Cliffpaw jumped as he noticed Shadespot was watching the gulls as well, his head swiveling slightly from side to side as he tracked their flight with bright blue eyes. The apprentice grimaced as a scar across the left side of the medicine cat's face, thick and ugly, gleamed pink in the sunlight. Before Shadespot could notice he was staring, Cliffpaw turned away, instead looking to his still sleeping sister.

It was nearly sunhigh, yet many of TideClan's warriors were still asleep. Attending the Full Moon Celebration meant staying up past moonhigh, and since it would be no good to send groggy warriors on border and hunting patrols, all duties were suspended until the sun rested directly overhead, when the Clan returned to camp.

"Brightpaw," he mewed, getting to his paws, "it's time to get up." Around them, the rest of the Clan were beginning to wake, if they hadn't already. Cardinalstar was padding up to Shadespot, looking dead on her paws due to her lack of sleep. Lichenheart, Brightpaw's mentor, was sharing tongues with his siblings, Frogleap and Ambernose. Nightpelt was being helped to her feet by her mate Tallclaw, and Fishtail was pacing along the edge of the beach, staring into the waves. Brightpaw groaned, pulling her tail around herself and curling into a tight ball.

"Five more minutes," his sister mumbled, her voice muffled by her fur. Beside her, Cloudpaw was beginning to groom his long grey and white pelt, suppressing chuckles at Brightpaw's stubbornness.

"I remember my first Full Moon Celebration," Cloudpaw purred after working out a knot of fur near his shoulder, "I couldn't sleep at all without the roof of a den over my head, so I was exhausted. And the next morning was battle training with Saltclaw! Talk about tiring." At the sound of Cloudpaw's voice, Brightpaw's ears pricked up, and she began to quickly untangle her limbs.

"I'm not tired!" she announced, fur fluffing up irritably. "I-I just-"

"Was tired and didn't want to get up," Cliffpaw finished dryly, rolling his eyes. He didn't understand why Brightpaw got so flustered around the older apprentice; if she were to say Cloudpaw was annoying, Cliffpaw would certainly agree, but he wasn't anything worth getting worked up over. Cloudpaw was too friendly and easygoing for his taste, to say the least. Brightpaw glared at her brother, opening her mouth to say something, but she was cut off by a yowl from Cardinalstar.

"Cats of TideClan, gather around!"

"Come on, Brightpaw," Cliffpaw huffed, letting his fur lie flat, "let's go see what Cardinalstar has to say." Behind him, Brightpaw snorted quietly in annoyance, yet followed after her brother nevertheless. The two siblings claimed spots near the front of the circle of their Clanmates, and the young she-cat gave Cliffpaw an affectionate lick across his ear, a gesture the tom took as an apology. He returned it with a quick glance, blinking kindly at her and smiling.

"It is now time for us to return to camp," Cardinalstar said from her position in the circle, looking around at her Clan. "A word of warning to our two newest apprentices: keep the events of what transpired last night a secret from Webkit and Grasskit. Their time for the Full Moon Celebration will come, and it is then that the mysteries of the Celebration will be revealed to them." Cliffpaw nodded immediately, knowing that his leader's word was law, as defined in the warrior code. Beside him, Brightpaw seemed disappointed, yet nodded her understanding as well. "Very well," the big ginger tabby meowed, "then let us be off. Sedgefoot, please come forward and help Shadespot carry the Moonshell back to camp." As Cardinalstar finished, Sedgefoot stepped forward from his spot in the circle, crouching down low next to TideClan's medicine cat as Saltclaw maneuvered the pure white conch onto the backs of his Clanmates. When the precious shell was set securely across the backs of the two toms, Cardinalstar raised her tail, and the rest of TideClan stood. Then, Cardinalstar turned towards the forest and began heading towards camp, the Moonshell's two bearers trailing right behind their leader.

"I wish we could tell Webkit and Grasskit about last night," Brightpaw said as she and Cliffpaw followed their Clanmates, disappointment apparent in her voice, "Especially Grasskit. I think she wants to be Shadespot's apprentice, so I'm sure she'd love to hear about the ceremony." Cliffpaw shrugged, then replied,

"We had to wait our turn, Brightpaw. I mean, I wouldn't mind telling them about it, but you heard what Cardinalstar said. Besides, those two are only what? Less than a moon younger than us? They'll probably get to go to the next Full Moon Celebration, or the one after that."

"I suppose," Brightpaw muttered, flicking a pebble into the undergrowth. They had reached the jungle, and were travelling a well worn path back to camp; Cliffpaw could smell the stale scents of his Clanmates as they padded down the springy moss trail, as well as the faint scent of mouse a bit off to his left. His stomach ached at the thought of fresh-kill, and wondered if he'd be allowed to eat when they got back to camp. It was more than likely Tallclaw would make him hunt for his own breakfast - well, lunch, now. "It just doesn't seem fair, in my opinion."

"Life's not fair," Cliffpaw mewed jokingly, a purr creeping into his voice. His tone quickly changed, however. "Y'know, I did see something strange during the Celebration last night..." The cream white tabby's ears pricked up as she looked at her brother.

"Something strange?" she repeated, "During the Celebration?"

"Yeah," Cliffpaw answered, thinking back to the previous night. He was about to tell Brightpaw about what he had seen, but quickly thought better of it. "I...hold on." The black and grey tom slowed his pace, and Brightpaw adjusted hers almost immediately, keeping her questions to herself, even though Cliffpaw could feel the curiosity rolling off his sibling's fur in waves. "Hey, Tallclaw!" he called up the line. Cliffpaw's mentor turned around, breaking off the conversation he had been having with his mate, Nightpelt.

"Yes?" he asked, head turned slightly to address the apprentice, yet still moving forward with the rest of the Clan.

"I smell a lot of mouse scent over there," Cliffpaw said, pointing to his left with his tail, towards a thick swatch of ferns and tall grass, "I think it might be a nest. Can Brightpaw and I go check it out?" The big tabby tom frowned slightly, but said,

"As long as you're quick about it," Tallclaw conceded, "and try to catch up with us before we get back to camp. We don't usually allow young apprentices to go out hunting by themselves. If you don't, make sure you bring back a good load of prey, or you'll be cleaning out the elder's den for the next moon."

"Yes, Tallclaw," Cliffpaw said, nodding quick in understanding, "Let's get going, Brightpaw!" By now, the siblings had trailed to the very back of their line, and they turned and plunged into the undergrowth. Cliffpaw broke into a quick trot, wanting to put some distance in between the path and him and his sister, just in case any of TideClan cats decided to turn around for some reason.

Cliffpaw finally came to a stop in a fairly sheltered spot within the circle of a few hibiscus bushes, their large pink flowers bending low to the ground, some even close enough to brush against the tom's thick black and grey fur.

Great. Now he'd smell like a flower for the rest of the day. However, the sweet scent of the hibiscus would throw off any cat that might have attempted to follow the two siblings, despite their innocent hunting ruse. Cliffpaw realized just how paranoid he was being over something so...silly. Honestly, now that he thought about it, he could have imagined the entire thing, or if it had really happened, maybe he was just making a big deal out of nothing. There was something the young tom couldn't put his paw on, something that bothered him...

"Hey, mousebrain!" Brightpaw meowed, interrupting her brother's thoughts, "You gonna tell me what it is that you saw, or are we just going to sit here until we start sprouting moss?" Sighing, Cliffpaw ignored his sister's jibes. This wasn't something he could figure out on his own; admittedly, he was much worse at reading and identifying emotions in others, with the exception perhaps being Brightpaw. His own father escaped him, however, and the young tom was beginning to second guess himself and his memories. If it were hatred that Cliffpaw had spotted in Saltclaw's eyes the previous night, he wanted to know _why_. He himself had a distaste for Cloudpaw, for one, but it wasn't to the point where he took the opportunity to openly glare in his direction whenever possible. It was strange, to say the least, and Cliffpaw knew he'd need his sister's help to unravel the mystery.

"Sorry," he finally said, sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws, "I was just caught up in my thoughts, is all." Brightpaw scooted closer, briefly brushing her tail across Cliffpaw's side.

"It's alright," she meowed, "I was just teasing, but I can tell something's bothering you...what's up?"

"It's..." Cliffpaw began, letting himself recount last night's memories, "not really a _thing _that I saw. It was...I don't know, an action, I suppose."

"You're not making any sense, Cliffpaw. Just tell me what you saw."

"It was Saltclaw," the black and grey tom finally admitted, "he did something last night during the Celebration that was...just off; it was weird. When we were all given time to offer up our silent prayers to Starclan, I kinda peeked to see what everyone else was doing. And Saltclaw, he...he was the only cat not praying. He was just sitting straight up, and...glaring at Shadespot. Shadespot didn't see him because he had his eyes closed with his nose against the Moonshell. And everyone else had their heads bent down, so I know I was the only one who saw it, although I don't think Saltclaw noticed me. I didn't really get a long look at him, because that was when the Moonshell started to glow bright, and I was forced to close my eyes. When I opened them, his head was down and his eyes were closed, just like everyone else."

"Okay," Brightpaw said, her eyes narrowed as she thought, "so you saw our dad looking at Shadespot funny. Why?"

"Exactly, I don't know." Cliffpaw shook his head in confusion, then continued, "But Brightpaw, I saw...I saw pure anger and hatred in his eyes, and it was all directed at Shadespot. Honestly, if looks could kill..." Cliffpaw suddenly got to his paws, unable to contain the nervous energy that suddenly filled him. He paced up and down in a line, his gaze locked onto his sister, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Do you believe me?" he blurted out.

"I...yeah, of course I do, Cliffpaw," Brightpaw said, looking up and meeting her brother's troubled yellow-green gaze with her own clear blue eyes. "You're my brother. But I've also noticed that Saltclaw isn't too friendly towards Shadespot. I'd say they got in an argument over something recently, and dad's still holding a grudge...what do you think?" Cliffpaw warmed at his sister's comment, stopping his pacing.

"Maybe, it's definitely possible," he admitted, "But I still want to know exactly what's got Saltclaw so worked up, don't you?"

"You bet I do," Brightpaw purred, getting to her paws. She padded up to her brother, brushing against his side, "When don't I want to solve a mystery?" Despite himself, Cliffpaw laughed. "I agree one hundred percent with you. So, guess what we're going to do?" _  
_

Still chuckling, Cliffpaw asked, "What?" Brightpaw's deep blue eyes gleamed with mischief and cunning.

"We're going to get to the bottom of this, even if it means digging all the way underneath Fire-Breath Mountain to uncover the truth!"

* * *

**Hmm, this chapter ended up being longer than I thought. That's always a good thing!**

**So, it seems Brightpaw has aspirations to be the new Sherlock Holmes, eh? And Cliffpaw hates smelling like anything remotely girly. The next chapter will feature Brightpaw's POV once again, and hopefully I'll begin writing it soon. **

**I really appreciate any reviews and criticism you readers can offer, even if it's just a sentence or two. (: I like knowing what everyone out there thinks. So, make me a happy writer, and read and review! **


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